Emergency chief caught up in Thai storm alert

Dan Lawson, Islington Council’s head of emergency planning and business continuity

THE Town Hall chief responsible for planning how Islington would respond to emergencies has found himself in a real-life red alert on holiday in Thailand.

Dan Lawson is helping tourists fleeing the threat of tropical Storm Pabuk, which is expected to hit paradise resorts at some stage today (Friday).

“Stuck on Koh Samui Island because of Storm Pabuk but nobody seems to know what we should do,” he tweeted last night.

Stuck on Koh Samui Island because of Storm Pabuk but nobody seems to know what we should do. So I’ve stocked the room with food and water for 3 days because of expected floods and potential storm devastation. Not meant to be at work!!

“So I’ve stocked the room with food and water for 3 days because of expected floods and potential storm devastat­ion. Not meant to be at work.”

Mr Lawson is Islington Council’s head of emergency planning and business continuity. He added that it was a “bit chaotic” in Thailand. “Helping tourists out with emergency planning in Thailand does feel strange!” he said.

Councillors were wishing him well as he was tweeting about the situation last night.